20B Tivoli Ave, Rose Bay, has amazing views to the city skyline, Opera House and Harbour Bridge

Sydney set a new auction bid record today — but even the offer of $23.25 million wasn’t enough to win this stunning Rose Bay home.

The final bid was $250,0000 more than the previous auction record for a home, set a decade ago but didn’t hit the reserve of owner and property investor Stephen Burcher.

The auction was one of 646 properties scheduled to go to auction today on what was considered the first big test of the year.

An iconic address with a great view.

But the number of homes going under the hammer is well down on almost 1000 on the corresponding weekend last year.

The Agency’s Ben Collier had a price guide of $25m and six registered bidders for the luxurious five-bedroom, five-bathroom home.

The property — with harbour views to the city skyline, Opera House and Harbour Bridge at 20B Tivoli Ave — is the home of Mr Burcher and his wife, Melissa.

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Bidding started with a vendor bid of $23m and that was quickly followed by the only real bid of $23,250,000 by a local Chinese family.

However, Mr Collier is continuing to negotiate and said the family had since upped their offer.

Owner Stephen Burcher and Captain Glen Gray on his boat, Quantum, in Sydney Harbour several years ago.

The 3.45pm auction under auctioneer Thomas McGlynn was closed to media, and even rival sales agents from different firms weren’t permitted to enter.

The next test of the auction record is in March, when the Vaucluse home of Alex Ma goes under the hammer. That has a price guide of $30m.

Among those seen going in were prominent buyer’s agent Simon Cohen.

A resort-like pool with stunning views.

People as they leave the auction of 20B Tivoli Ave, Rose Bay today. Picture: Damian Shaw

About 60 people, mostly neighbours and other interested parties, jammed into the living room with the sensational harbour view.

The home was originally offered in an “expressions of interest” campaign ending on Friday.

But, with multiple parties keen on the prized home, last Tuesday Mr Collier and the Burchers decided to put it to auction.

Apart from being a remarkable property with all the best finishes, it has a resort-like pool and even access to a sandy beach.

A marble kitchen.

With their kids grown up, the Burchers want to spend more time at their $12m Palm Beach home purchased last year and on their boat Quantum.

Mr Collier is on the lookout for a Paddington or Woollahra bolthole for them.

The previous record of $23m was set in 2009 when Bellevue Hill’s grand Georgian house Le Manoir sold to Lachlan Murdoch.

Auctioneer Damien Cooley said: “Lachlan was there in the room when I knocked it down to him”.

Then comes the $20.32m achieved last year, when the art collector John Schaeffer sold the Bellevue Hill Bonnington mansion to fund manager Ari Droga and his wife, Lisa, an architect.